The Unicorn (album)

{{about|the album||Unicorn (disambiguation)}}

{{More citations needed|date=December 2009}}

{{Infobox album

| name = The Unicorn

| type = studio

| artist = The Irish Rovers

| cover = Unicornalbum.jpg|border=yes

| alt =

| released = 1967

| recorded =

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Irish folk music

| length = 30:06

| label = Decca

| producer = Charles "Bud" Dant

| prev_title = The First of the Irish Rovers

| prev_year = 1966

| next_title = All Hung Up

| next_year = 1968

| misc = {{Singles

| name = The Unicorn

| type = studio

| single1 = The Unicorn

| single1date = January 1968

}}

}}

The Unicorn is the debut studio album of the Canadian Irish folk music group The Irish Rovers, released in 1967 and topped the charts in 1968.

The title track "The Unicorn", a recording of Shel Silverstein's poem based on Noah's Ark, featured Glen Campbell on lead guitar,{{cite web|title=Irish Rovers farewell|url=https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/irish-rovers-farewell/id290164877?i=168511904&mt=2|publisher=CBC Radio St. John's Nfld, Sept 2013|access-date=8 December 2013}} and reached #2 in the US Adult Contemporary Charts, #7 in the U.S. Hot 100,{{cite web|title=The Unicorn, The Irish Rovers|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=the Irish rovers|chart=all}}|publisher=Billboard, 1968|accessdate=7 May 2012}} #4 in Canada,{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.100183.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - March 30, 1968}} and #5 in Ireland.{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20120710144324/http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/I/Irish_Rovers.html The Irish Rovers]}}, Jam! Music's Canadian POP Music Encyclopedia{{cite web|title=The Irish Charts: All There Is To Know: Irish Rovers|url=http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement|publisher=Irish Recorded Music Association|accessdate=28 April 2012}} Despite having virtually nothing to do with Ireland or Irish culture, the song remains popular in Irish pubs to this day.{{Cite web |title=Ask Geoffrey: ‘The Unicorn Song’ and Its Chicago Origins |url=https://news.wttw.com/2020/02/06/ask-geoffrey-unicorn-song-and-its-chicago-origins#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20Unicorn%20Song%E2%80%9D%20was%20a,t%20see%20them%20around%20anymore. |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=WTTW News |language=en}}

"The Unicorn" song is also included on The Irish Rovers Gems double disk (1996), their 40th Anniversary CD, 40 Years A-Rovin' (Rover Records, 2005), and their Home in Ireland CD and DVD. In 1968 the song was covered by Irish trio The Bachelors.{{cite web|title=The Bachelors: The Unicorn|url=http://www.discogs.com/Bachelors-The-Unicorn/release/1908618|publisher=Discogs|accessdate=28 April 2012}}